Author: Admin

Yesterday evening Newcastle United were relegated from the Premier League for the second time in the space of eight seasons, and only the sixth time in our history, following a win by our arch rivals Sunderland no less.

Nobody can argue this relegation has not been coming or that it is undeserved. Since the fateful day Mike Ashley took over our club nearly nine years ago, the club’s average league finishing position has dropped to 14th (from 9th in the same period before Ashley’s arrival) and the club has been involved in relegation scraps in three of the last four seasons.

Make no mistake, this relegation has long been on the cards. The increased spending in the past two transfer windows (not a penny of which came directly from Ashley), using a failed transfer model targeting inexperienced players over proven quality, reeks of a desperate last ditch effort attempt to cling on to Premier League riches rather than a genuine sign of ambition. As does the late and desperate appointment of Rafa Benitez, a quality manager and a man of class and dignity who deserves our respect for attempting to, and almost succeeding in, preventing the inevitable from happening.

A phrase meaning ‘A person who appears self-satisfied or smug, especially while concealing something mischievous or hidden.’ Many of the words in that definition ring true as criticisms of Mike Ashley’s Newcastle. Over the past few years, much has been made of his ability to be a shrewd businessman who runs his interests using methods which fanfare as self-sustaining but at the same time yield a significant profit. This much is as true of Newcastle United and the regime in charge of the club has been very self-satisfied in conveying this message.

Mischief however, or more aptly accusations of deception and controversy, are never far from this regime either; many fans of our club literally calling ‘Ashley Out’ on what they believe to be personal business motives that place the club and its success a trivial second.

So, you do have a voice? Your interview on Sky Sports, broadcast before the relegation decider vs West Ham United was the first time since May 2009 (when your gross mismanagement of Newcastle United resulted in relegation) that you have directly addressed the fans. We have at least gained an understanding on why you appear so hesitant to do so; you are not a very convincing liar. It would be interesting to see if Keith Bishop, your Public Relations adviser who arranged this interview with David Craig (another one of his clients, how cosy), was happy with your performance while reeling off your scripted questions and answers.

Whatever the result of today’s game and whether we are playing in the Premier League or Championship next season this Newcastle United cannot be allowed to continue. This Newcastle United is not our Newcastle United and we must all stand in unity until Mike Ashley is no longer the owner of our football club.

Mike Ashley doesn’t care about Newcastle United, he cares about cheap sportswear. So stay with us after the game as we occupy the ground after the final whistle. Bring your flags, bring your banners and bring your voices. We must continue to protest and make it clear that enough is enough and demand that the man responsible for club’s demise into existing only for TV revenue and sportswear advertising puts the club up for sale with immediate effect.

We have worked with Northumbria Police in establishing our plans for today to ensure we are all on a sound legal footing. Here we set out a legal brief regarding your right to protest, it is a basic human right, exercise that right today.

Cancelling a season ticket is simple. You are not beholden to pay for any service you have not received and as the club always collects payments in advance no supporter will ever be in the position of owing the club more than they have already paid.

Anyone paying by direct debit need only cancel the agreement with their bank in order to cancel their season ticket.

The club has no credit agreement as part of the season ticket deal and there will be no entry on your credit file as a result of either cancelling, or of the club requesting a payment after you have cancelled.

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"What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love."